A Quiet Night In
by Shiro Ryuu
Summary: RyouxBakura, a profile of a relationship in its earliest stages. Ryou is bored, and lonely, but Bakura entertains him as best he can. Fluffy? Heck yeah.


**AN: **I was really bored this evening, and then I thought, 'Hey, I should write something really pointless and fluffy, and short enough to finish in one night.' Mission: accomplished :) This was probably induced by an overdose of cute little twenty-four-page yaoi mangas, even if it _is _sadly lacking in the extremely-graphic-content department... But in any case, review please?

* * *

I let Ryou lie in peace for a good half-hour, just watching. I don't know if he was even aware of my scrutiny; he certainly didn't give any sign, if he was. I don't think he even moved at all, just lay spread-eagle on top of his neatly-made bed, head turned to the side so that unblinking eyes could stare out the window. The light of the setting sun painted him a pretty blushing red.

Eventually I materialized at his side, my body iridescent-transparent and pale from lack of interest. I imitated the act of perching on the edge of the bed, but my weight made no dent in the mattress. "Are you sick?" I inquired, looking more at the sunset than at him.

His expression didn't waver. Perhaps he'd been paying some attention to me after all? "No..."

"Bored?"

"Yes."

I wrinkled my nose. "Why don't you call one of your friends, then?"

He sighed softly. "Can't. Honda-kun has detention. Jonouchi-kun has practice. Yuugi-kun and Anzu-chan... well, _they _wouldn't call it a date, of course..."

He was far more subtle about it, of course, but I thought I detected some measure of distaste in his expression as well. I contemplated this for a while, and decided that it wasn't something he should be dwelling on. "You should spend some time outside," I suggested, gesturing at his body in a vaguely all-encompassing fashion. "I bet you couldn't walk a mile."

"Too hot."

"At least make yourself some dinner."

"I had a big lunch."

My body became fractionally more solid in irritation, and I frowned at him. He didn't appear to notice, however, so after a moment I lay down next to him. He didn't look over, and I looked at the ceiling. "Isn't there anything you _do _want to do?" I wondered.

A flash of whiter white on white out of the corner of my eye - he grinned slightly. "Win a hundred million yen?" I snorted.

"'Win'? If you really want it, there are easier ways, you know..." He just rolled his eyes.

We were silent for a few more minutes, as the light faded from cherry to pink to pink-grey, until I spoke up again. "If I made you dinner, and brought it up to you, would you eat it?"

He considered this. "...No." I glowered at him, though he still wasn't looking at me.

"How about just ice-cream?"

He thought for a beat more - and then he finally turned his eyes toward me, and smiled, and something inside me just kind of went _odd_. "Okay." And as I stood to leave, he suddenly grasped my hand, following after all. He could only hold the half-formed ghost-flesh lightly, and it should have been a really weird sensation, but somehow it just barely worked.

* * *

I eyed him critically as he plopped himself down in one of the kitchen chairs. "Hey... since you came down, shouldn't you be getting your own ice-cream?"

He bestowed me with an especially angelic smile. "You promised."

"I did not. Like I ever keep promises, anyway..."

He continued to beam; I didn't know how much more I could take. "Oh. Then, how about 'I couldn't stand being away from you for even that short time, so now you should return my devotion by doing something nice for me'...?"

"You're _unbalanced,_" I stated, feeling mildly ill. I did, however, retrieve the ice-cream from the freezer. After dishing out a moderate helping, I couldn't help but sample a bite.

Ryou pouted pathetically. "Hey... my spoon... my _ice-cream_..."

I smirked toothily at him. "I'll give it back when I'm done with it, don't worry."

"..._Ug_... I don't know if I want-" I cut off his words, however, by slipping a new spoonful neatly between his parted lips. He flushed, and looked a little annoyed, but he swallowed it all. I grinned unabashed triumph at him as I pulled the utensil back.

"...Oh, give me that," he groused, grabbing for the spoon and the bowl - I surrendered them without a fight, because that freed up my hands to tilt his face back for a kiss. There were a few slow, soft, chocolate-flavored moments, and then he turned away, smiling just a little. It was a rather wary smile compared to his earlier one, insecure and shy - but his eyes danced behind it, and so it was really much more beautiful.

* * *

After he finished his ice-cream, we went to the living room to watch a movie. He picked out one we'd seen before, and curled up under my arm on the couch. In my more whimsical moments, I found myself comparing him to some small burrowing mammal, from the way he always insisted on cuddling up so close... The truth was, though, that it was very comfortable and warm; I amused myself by playing with his hair at first, but by the end of the film I was hanging on to consciousness by a thread. Ryou shut off the television with the remote, and fidgeted absently with my fingers on his leg.

"Bakura?"

"Hnm?"

"Are you awake?"

While I was still busily mulling over the validity of this question in light of my (albeit vague) response seconds ago, I felt him shift... And then he pushed me, tumbling over as well to land on top of me, giggling as my eyes snapped open in surprise.

"Wha- _Ryou_-"

With a flourish, he pulled the afghan off the back of the couch and flipped it out over us. "It's already eleven," he pointed out. "Will... you stay here tonight?"

I met his eyes solemnly, conscious of the fact that this was something we hadn't done yet, and theoretically some kind of important step. "If you want. Of course, I normally sleep naked - do you mind...?"

He glared, and yanked my hair. He settled down after that, though, relaxing against my chest. I rubbed small circles on his back, but otherwise obediently kept my hands to myself. If there was one thing I had plenty of, I reflected, it was patience... and - I smiled wryly to myself - it was looking like I'd be needing a lot with this one... I had thought that he was already asleep, when he murmured, "I love you."

I just stayed silent and pretended to sleep, because we both expressed our feelings in different ways, and he knew it. Although I had to admit, as he attempted to snuggle even closer, that his way _appeared _to be growing on me...

**Owari**


End file.
